MAY 20TH WESTERN - 1ST CRUISE/ROY SUITE REPORT Updated with Pictures!

[churchlady]

Cari (is that spelled right?), You are a wonderful communicator and did such a great job of conveying what our Western week was like. Pure Magic! Travelling with 4 children, no one could have blamed you for being stressed out, but you weren't. You had so much pixie dust collected off these boards that you and your family were just covered in it for the whole week. Thanks for spreading your joy. I would love it if we could join you for an Eastern week in 2008. Can you say "extra day at sea"?

Your friend, Leigh (aka Churchlady)

 

[DutchsMommy]

Cari, thanks for the report - really enjoyed it.

Can you tell me if you checked out any of the board games or movies available to the concierge guests? If so, can do advise what was available. Was there a DVD player in the suite?

Thanks!

PS - Is your DH cheering for the Oilers? I suppose they are all we have left LOL

 

[crazypom]

we are very reluctantly cheering for the oilers - as canuck fans it is hard to do!!! There was a binder in the suite that had a very long list of movies that you could borrow, something for everyone. There was a DVD player in the suite as well. Just didn't get time to watch a movie, not even in the theatre!!! There were several games in the cupboard but alas, no time for those either! I don't know where the time went but we seemed to be busy (in a good way) all the time.

Hi Leigh, I would love to cruise the same time in 2008, prob April or May for us. We will have to keep in touch, the girls would love it. I kinda wondered in my report if I was just forgetting any negative stuff but there just wasn't any, it really was a magical holiday Just think, if we have an extra day at sea I might actually make it to some of those activities I had planned to!!! Lauren sent Mallory some pics, did you see them?

feel free to ask if you have any questions, I am now an official Roy suite with 4 kids, DH, DMIL, western carribean, wine drinking, balcony loving expert - at least in my own mind

 

[wearegoingtoDisney]

You have a beautiful family. I so happen to think two girls and two boys is just a wonderful family...I just had my fourth so now I have the same mix as you. I love that my daughters have a sister and my sons have a brother.

Anyways, back to the point...Thank you for sharing so much of your family vacation with us all. I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to do the cruise once this newest bundle of joy is 3. I would then have a 3,6,8 and 12 year old. You were so kind to share the amount of your bill on board but now I am going to be really pushy....how much was the actual Roy Disney Suite? Feel free to ignore the question if too nosy but just wondering if I could ever save enough to do it like you did. It just looks so amazing!! You could do advertising for DCL! Thanks again for posting your report.

 

[mmhouse]

Crazypom,

We will be in the Walt Disney Suite in 2 months. It is very difficult to get any concierge information! I really appreciate you taking the time to post such a great trip report!

What time and where was the concierge meeting on the first day?

Did you do anything there other than meet the conc. staff and make any res you haven't so far?

We've heard inconsistancies about the soft drinks and bottled water in cat 1.
Did they provide you with soft drinks and water or not?

What time did you have to be out of your cabin on the last day?

Thank you for all of the great information!!

 

[joshua121301]

mmhouse,

When will you be in the Walt Disney Suite? We will be in the Roy Disney in 2 months and 2 weeks.

 

[crazypom]

wearegoingtodisney - thanks, I think they are pretty cute too! Congrats on your 4th. I have concluded that after the 4th a person may as well have 5 or 6 as the parents are seriously outnumbered!!! Lots of fun though I don't mind your question, everyone does know it costs alot. It was $13,500 for the 7 of us (thank goodness the cdn $ improved!!!!) minus a $200 credit + our bill at the end, + airfare.....ok, I have to stop thinking about it For us it was worth adding an extra week in orlando since we came a long way and the airfare was costly. I don't know if the cat 1's vary much from season to season. Even though it is an awful lot of money we really felt it was worth it to us and I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity.

mmhouse - concierge meet started as soon as we boarded in Sessions. They had some sandwiches, snacks, beverages and we met 2 of the three concierge staff. They went thru a list of information, most of which I knew from these boards. I had already booked brunch and dinner and signed the kids up online. At that point we really didn't want to book anything else until we got settled and thought about what we wanted to do. It is really hard to know that you want a galley tour on thurs at this point - at least for us! Did get the kids pager and clubs organized. It actually took longer than I would have liked as we had to wait for the counsellor and we were keen to get to the pool. I would actually skip it next time and go straight to the pool and head there later, it was "open" for quite awhile. We were able to add things later in the week with no trouble. We had a supply of water and various soft drinks throughout the week and they were replenished. If you were not an obsessive planner and reader of these boards like I am, the meet may have been more useful. But, like anything, it will depend on what you want to do during your cruise. Oh ya, they also had someone there from the spa if you wanted to book anything. They were very nice and welcoming and we were able to leave all our carry-ons there until later.
I think we had to be out of the cabin at 9am- we were out at 8:45 and Geronimo was ready to clean! His usual morning tidy took an hour he said and turn down 1/2 hour so I would bet a complete changeover takes awhile!
I am sure you will love it....what's not to love about being totally spoiled for a week

 

[soothy]

I am now an official Roy suite with 4 kids, DH, DMIL, western carribean, wine drinking, balcony loving expert - at least in my own mind [/QUOTE]

You go girl you earned it

 

[BethA]

I think it would be nice if they sent those in Cat1-3, a letter explaining the concierge service and introducing themselves. On RCL they had an actual lounge with beverages and snacks where you could take out movies and games and actually speak to the concierge in person if need be. We might have used it if there were windows, but there was no view and the concierge always seemed tied up with someone "important" who monopolized his time.

If you have booked everything you need on DCL the meeting does waste a lot of your time. On our previous cruise they did have a small get together one late afternoon with drinks and appetizers up on deck. I think many who travel are unaware of things the concierge can do for you. i have learned different things here-never from them--for instance the parties they have put together in the suites, and ordering Palo dessert.

you'll love the suite--2 weeks to the Roy suite for us. it's always so hard to have the cruise end. We left our suite around 9 ater having a full breakfast delivered the last day--a suite perk. We kept the room neat, so i didn't feel I was putting Sompop behind and we were very generous with our tip since there is so much more to clean.

 

[mmhouse]

Thanks Crazypom and BethA!

Thank you for the advice! I have already booked everything we want. I think we will skip that meeting because I don't want to do something that is going to take up too much time. The kids are always ready to get to the pool! We may stash our carry-ons there if we have too many! I'm hoping to not have too many carry-ons - but that never happens!

Are they still letting you in your cabin at 1:30?

Did anyone ever order a dinner from the restaurants delivered to your room? We have early seating and there is always one day when we are really pushing it to get to dinner on time! It may be nice to just eat in the cabin that day!

BethA did you order Palo dessert in your suite or at the regular restaurant?

joshua121301 - I miss typed we have 3 months! We will be there in September for our anniversary. I wish we were on at the same time, but I can't wait to hear about your trip!!

Thank you,
Beth

 

[TRANQUILWATERS]

Crazypom,
Wow, what a great report. Loved reading it, Thanks!
I have a question for you about the Hyatt Orlando. We are going on the Magic Double Dip June 24th. Flying in to Orlando on Thursday June 22nd. We booked this Hotel for the 2 nights, but the pool looks to tiny on the web pictures! Traveling with DH, and 4 kids DS16 ,DD16, DS10 ,DD2
Do you think this hotel would be ok? I also have the Hyatt Grand Cypress Resort booked, Just can't decide which to choose. We want a relaxing place to stay with a nice pool and convenient. Just a little leary on the Hyatt Olando Airport.
We are not planning on any activities precruise. After the cruise we are staying at the Portifino Universal for 4 nights. Would love your advise on this. Thanks

 

[crazypom]

we did not order anything other than breakfast and cookies/milk. By the time we were done dinner we were all so full that couldn't even think about a late night snack and seemed to have just enough time to make it to dinner. Would not have made it with the 5:30, 6pm was about right for us. I did have my travel agent request 6pm for us and that was what was assigned when we checked in.

the Hyatt MCO was a nice hotel, the pool was not too bad. There were prob about 10 kids in when we were there and there was plenty of room. It is bigger than it looks on the picture. We have an 18x36 pool and it was quite a bit bigger. That said, if I had 2 nights I would prob go elsewhere with more to do for the kids. Don't know anything about Hyatt Grand Cypress but if it is similar to our pre-stay at Marriott Grande Vista then I would definately choose that. At least at a resort there is prob an arcade, better pool area, perhaps activities for the kids.
I should add how nice they were at the Hyatt - we arrived around 10:00 off the cruise and our rooms were ready for check in by 11am. I hadn't even thought about our early arrival so it was great that they were so accomodating. (I believe check in is usually 3 or 4pm)

 

[Downrivermama]

Great trip report.

My dd and I will be going on the Western this coming February. I was wondering if Key West was still "racey"? I was there about 15 years ago and it was enough to make me blush! I was thinking of booking on our own the Old Town Trolley tour, so we could get off at the different sites. I thought it would be neat to get dd's picture at the Southern Most marker. Oh, well maybe I'll just have to put my hands over her tender eyes! LOL!

 

[crazypom]

let's just say there was lots of snickering and "come see this" between DD11 and DS9. Thankfully they weren't quite old enough to "get" the worst of it or recognize the drug paraphenelia (?sp). At least thats what I told myself

 

[BethA]

We ordered the Palos chocolate dessert in our room one night, but i have read of servers getting it for you at dinner. we never ordered from the dining room menu, just plenty from the room service menu

 

[wearegoingtoDisney]

Thanks for sharing the price information. Wow! I will really have to keep saving. For me I think it would have to be a lottery win!!! I can tell that you realize that your opportunity was a blessing and I hope you and your family are able to experience it again someday!

 

[Stepht5]

Loved the report!

We are in the Roy (on the Wonder) in just under 3 months.

I had to LOL about the *no hockey* comment! Hockey is the ONLY sport we watch in this house. Season ticket holders to the Dallas Stars.
GoSTARS.

 

[crazypom]

it was hard to imagine no hockey especially during playoffs!!!!!! However, that was our only complaint of the whole holiday so I guess we did ok
I used to be a HUGE Minnesota North Stars fan in the days of Dino, Bobby, an Neal!! I even liked them better than the Canucks!

Can't wait to hear about your southern cruise. We would like to do that but I would be so worried about the weather - isn't that right in the middle of hurricaine season?????

 

[eeyoregon]

Just wanted to say thanks for sharing the more personal side of your trip: $$$! Like your husband, I too was surprised at the actual cost (easy for me to say cause' I'm not paying the bill ).

It really wasn't as high as I imagined. To put it in perspective, we paid $2,400 for 3 of us in a category 9 (oceanview deck 2) stateroom plus $700 in on board charges (our biggest excursion was Castaway Ray's on CC) and virtually no alcohol bill for us. You had 4 more people, "bigger" shore excursions, wine package, tipping, amazing accomodations, etc. so I think you did pretty well and by your trip report, had the time of your life which is priceless!

Thank you for your wonderful trip report. If you are interested in adopting me (35) and 2 more sons (13 and 10) just let me know - we will gladly share that suite with you

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Loved the report!

We are in the Roy (on the Wonder) in just under 3 months.

I had to LOL about the *no hockey* comment! Hockey is the ONLY sport we watch in this house. Season ticket holders to the Dallas Stars.
GoSTARS.

Go stars!
Hey you're "kinda" my neighbor. Well you know how neighbors can live kinda far apart in Texas but since EVERYTHING is kinda far apart it doesn't feel that far for us, right? LOL I'm up in Arlington all the time. I was there a few weeks ago for a friend's wedding. Howdy neighbor!